Robert TheodorsonWith the LIV Golf league coming to a close after this Sunday and a 2026 league champion already crowned, LIV Indianapolis marks the last occasion for rankings points and money to be distributed before several tough decisions need to be made.
The biggest news in the world of golf consists of preliminary reporting that Jon Rahm will indeed accept the PGA Tour’s monetary and tournament exclusion penalties so that he can rejoin the tour for the 2027 season.
This is without a doubt the biggest news the league has had since Rahm joined the league in 2024. All eyes are now pointed towards Bryson DeChambeau, Cam Smith, and the rest of the field and their respective futures.
LIV Indianapolis may be the most difficult tournament to date to predict as there are several outside forces at play that may negatively affect LIV’s best, and escalate the play of the most desperate.
Last season, Sebastian Munoz outlasted Jon Rahm in an epic playoff. Munoz’s 22-under par total score was made in part by his first-round score of 59. Munoz’s feat was all the more impressive as it was the first 59 in pro golf history to include a double-bogey.
Choosing the top five members of the field for a league finale is a difficult task, and in this case past performance is not necessarily an indicator of current or future success.
Top 5 Projected Performers
(1) Joaquin Niemann
LIV New York Finish; 1st; 16-under par
While Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau ponder their futures, there is another man who has gained more from LIV Golf than any other member of the league, minus the aforementioned stars.
Joaquin Niemann, winner of 9 LIV Golf tournaments, has turned his tenure with the league into a sizeable fortune with win after win.
While Rahm signed the largest contract in pro golf history, and DeChambeau built his fame through his rising media empire, Niemann transformed himself into one of the best and wealthiest members of league by consistently being great and winning more than anyone else in league history.
For Niemann, the league finale is about two things: one last big paycheck, and capturing the all-important OWGR points (currently 43rd in the world) with the future uncertain.
Niemann is an elite golfer, but has gained a perhaps unfair reputation for choking at major championships despite racking up several regular season wins every year. While Niemann will not have a direct path back to the PGA, he figures to be the DP World Tour’s biggest grab in the offseason, should he decide to go that route.
(2) Jon Rahm
LIV New York Finish: T41; 8-over par
Recent news indicates that Jon Rahm has decided to take the PGA Tour’s deal and return to action next season. While details are still being ironed out, it appears that Rahm will take a similar path to Brooks Koepka’s, where a large amount of money was surrendered to the PGA Tour and exclusions from certain tournaments next year will be made.
With that pathway all but assured, Rahm is still a consummate professional and will give his all to end his LIV tenure on a high note. For Rahm, there are still all-important OWGR points up for grabs, and you know Rahm puts a premium on being in the Top 10, if not Top 5 in the rankings.
(3) Lucas Herbert
LIV New York Finish: T22; 2-over par
Bedminster got the best of Herbert, winner of two LIV tournaments this season, but he’s undoubtedly one of the league’s best golfers.
Likely headed to the Asian and DP World Tour, Herbert has a lot riding on this match as he currently stands 50th in OWGR, meaning he can likely cement his spot in the Top 50 this year with an outright win in Indianapolis.
(4) Bryson DeChambeau
LIV New York Finish: T38; 7-over par
Ever since the league’s future was put in doubt and entered peril, DeChambeau’s game has seemed to suffer due to off-course distractions.
DeChambeau’s Crushers won the team title in New York, but Bryson was a detriment, rather than an asset to the group, easily having the worst score among the group of four.
DeChambeau’s game will depend on his mood. Will LIV’s biggest star go out with a bang or a whimper?
We’re betting that a rebound is in order, and while he may not be the favorite to win this tournament, he’s going to be quite visible on the leaderboard come championship Sunday.
For such a great player, it’s a bit of a shame that what he decides to do after Indianapolis is more important than closing the year out in form.
(5) Dustin Johnson
LIV New York Finish: T28; 4-over par
DJ, like Jon Rahm, is owed quite a bit of money from LIV for the foreseeable future, but unlike Rahm, DJ seems less concerned about his immediate future and thus is more likely to have his head in the game.
With 24 career wins on The PGA Tour, DJ has a lifetime exemption back into the league and will likely serve the one-year penalty without complaint. While his form comes and goes as it seemingly pleases, the three-time LIV tournament winner is likely to put his all into the last tournament for a league he helped found.
DJ’s 20-under par 3rd place finish in Indianapolis last year indicates that he’s got what it takes to win.
Top Projected Team
Crushers (Indianapolis)
If an iconic team in LIV exists, it’s Bryson’s Crushers.
The foursome of DeChambeau, Howell III, Lahiri, and Casey have been together for several years without change to roster or strategy.
Winning LIV New York was a tall task, and the Crushers did so without the help of their captain.
The top of the team standings is absolutely stacked, and with so much more on the line than the individual standings which of course has already crowned Jon Rahm the winner. Truly, any team in the Top 4 has a chance to go out champions.
- 1st – 4 Aces (149.50)
- 2nd – Ripper (147.25)
- 3rd – Legion XIII (145)
- 4th Crushers (136)
With a win being worth 30 points and a second-place finish 15, the Crushers would need at minimum a second-place finish and for the Top 3 teams to falter completely. This scenario is unlikely to occur, so securing that last win is paramount to season-long success.
The odds absolutely favor the Top 3 teams to win the season-long points race. Will it be Jon Rahm, Cam Smith, or Dustin Johnson who leads their team to their last hurrah as final league champions?
Around the League: What You Need to Know Before LIV Indianapolis
- The focus of the weekend is not the actual tournament; it’s the future of the league and its players. The league has been less than forthcoming about how the future will be shaped, while several members of the league have already made moves that signal their intent to return to the DP World Tour, similar to what Patrick Reed did just before the start of the 2026 season.
- Previously, the PGA Tour had reached out to Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, and Cam Smith with regard to rejoining the PGA Tour immediately with penalties. Former Smash captain Brooks Koepka took this deal, but has struggled mightily throughout the 2026 PGAT season. As previously mentioned, it has been reported that Rahm has taken a similar deal and will return to the PGAT in 2027 without the one-year sit-out penalty.
- LIV golfers not eligible to make the jump back (or initially) into the DP World Tour have registered for the league’s Q School. Golfers include Jose Ballester, Peter Uihlein, Luis Masaveu, and Michael LaSasso.
- Though rumors swirled months ago that LIV Michigan, the league’s penultimate team championship, would be cancelled, LIV made the official announcement a few days ago. Along with LIV New Orleans, it is the second tournament to be cancelled this season.
